Early Childhood Intervention in China: Implementing Evidence-Based Practices

The People’s Republic of China, the country with the largest population globally, is developing a system to provide early childhood special education for young children with disabilities that is responsive to its unique political, economic, and ideological context. This chapter addresses the unique cultural and philosophical factors that impact the delivery of services to young children with disabilities in China. The report will summarize recent policy and legislative efforts related to the early education of young children with disabilities in China and discuss the strengths and challenges of early childhood special education in China. The chapter will focus on how China implements what is considered evidence-based early childhood interventions: familycentered, comprehensive, team-based services, and supports within the natural environment.